Bay is one of my favorite herbs.  It makes a great addition to casseroles, and is one of the herbs within the classic French bouquet garnet usually thyme, parsley and bay leaves; tied together with kitchen twine or tied in a cheese-cloth for easy removal after cooking.  Some supermarkets sale bouquet garnet tea bags for easy use.

We find bay very difficult to grow.  It does not tolerate frost very well: anything below 7 degrees centigrade and significant damage takes place.  It can be brought in doors as a house plant, or very heavily mulched (organic matter e.g. bark chips, piled around the base of the plant to minimize damage.